How NOT to Bore Your Audience When Presenting

Great presentations have engaged audience.

Let’s face it. It’s one of the common challenges of presenters, especially those who are presenting the first time. For one, standing in front of people to present a message can be nerve-wracking in itself. 

 Keeping your audience engaged the whole time? That’s a totally different ballgame. 

 Here are 5 presentation tips and tricks so you don’t bore your audience.

1. Know your audience. To keep your audience interested, you need to keep the content relevant to them. The examples you use, scenarios you cite and the overall context of your content should be something they can relate to. And this can only be done if you did your research to know who you’ll be presenting to.
2. Tell stories. Studies show that our brain is wired to enjoy stories so make use of its power to make your audience pay attention. Inject stories into your presentation. Needless to say, your stories should reinforce the key points of your presentation. There’s no point telling a story that is not related to the point you’re making.
3. Keep it short and simple. One of the most effective ways to lose your audience’s interest is to use long-winded explanations. Be straightforward in your explanations and use language that your audience can easily understand.
4. Vary your tone and pacing. Nobody wants to listen to a speaker with a monotonous voice. Match your tone and pacing on the information you’re presenting. For example, if you’re telling a horrifying story to further illustrate a concept, your tone should not sound excited or happy.
5. Interact with your audience. One-way presentations is probably the worst way to share information or teach a concept/skill. Ask questions. Get their insights. Encourage them to share their thoughts on the topic. Reinforce collaborative discussions. 

There are definitely more ways to keep your audience’s attention when you’re presenting. 

 But it all boils down to 3 key things: (1) how you structure your presentation, (2) how you deliver the material, and most importantly, (3) how well you know your audience. 

Now, how would you like Rapid Results to train your staff on How to Master Engaging Presentations?

Schedule a no-obligation complimentary call with our Joint CEO, Carolyn to get more details.